Sail On!: Chapter 4
Aisa Himegami, one time agent, a young woman with a promising career in front of her, now a renegade on the run from the , wondered where everything had gone wrong as she ran after the little blue haired girl. When had she become the criminal? Blue-Haired Girl: Please, hurry, she's going to die. That pulled her out of her thoughts, back to the here and now. She could help this girl's grandmother, so that is what she ought to concentrate on. Aisa: Don't worry, we'll make it in time. Why don't you tell me your name? Blue-Haired Girl: Ma..Maya. Aisa: (With a friendly smile) Don't worry Maya, I'll do everything I can to help. They would finally arrive at an old hut, far from the town, very near the edge of the forest and right at the edge of the bay inlet. Maya: In here. Aisa: Wait, you stay here, what she has might be contagious. You might not have caught it till now but its always better to be safe. As she would walk into the hut something hard would suddenly come swinging towards her head from the wall next to the door. The metal rod, at least that was what it seemed to her, crashed into her head with enough force to send her flying back out of the door, landing motionless on the ground a few feet away. A tall young man would then emerge from the shadows, a wide smile on his lips. Maya: Stein, you idiot! You killed her! Stein: Hehe, if she died that easily then she was hardly worth that bounty. (Walks up to Maya and begins tapping her head affectionately.) But don't worry, even dead she'll fetch alot. You did well, I might buy you a new dress with the money we get from this. Maya: (A little grumpily.) I don't want a new dress. Stein: Nonsense, what kind of little girl doesn't want a new dress? While the two were participating in their idle banter, basking in the glow of their apparent victory, Aisa pushed herself up into a seating position, blood flowing down from her head, covering one side of her face. As she would get up, drawing her blade, Stein and Maya would turn to look at her, Maya with a shocked and slightly scared look on her face, Stein with a smile of pure glee on his face. Stein: See, I told you I didn't kill her. Looks like you do measure up to your bounty, Miss Aisa Himegami. Aisa: You are bounty hunters, aren't you? Stein: Ooh, quick on the uptake aren't we? But then I shouldn't expect anything else from a former Cipher Pol agent. This time it was Aisa whose eyes went wide in chock. Stein: Oh yes, we know all about you. We are rather good at our job. Now if you would kindly put that knife away and surrender then we can collect that bounty on your head and I can buy my partner here a new dress. Maya: (Shouts out hysterically.) I don't want a new dress!! Aisa: Sorry, but I can't do that. With that she would rush froward bringing her blade swinging down towards Stein, who would push Maya away from him before bringing his left had up to block the blade on his forearm. As the blade would strike his skin a metallic clink would be heard, Aisa looking on in surprise as Stein's entire hand would turn into a shiny metal. Stein: You can't beat me Miss Swordsman, no swordsman can beat me. He would bring his right hand up and point it towards Aisa as it would turn into metal and extend forward, slamming into her chest and sending her backwards once more. Stein: Wapo Wapo no Mi, that's the Devil Fruit I ate. You just went up against the wrong opponent, you can't cut me, no one can cut me. Aisa: (Getting into a fighting stance once more) Then I'll just have to learn how to cut you. Once more she would rush forward and execute a series of quick swipes, the force of their impact n Stein's body raising small tufts of air and making dust and dirt fly all around them. She would finally jump backwards as another thick beam of metal came flying towards her. As the dust would settle it would reveal Stein standing unhurt, his entire body turned to metal. Stein: Impressive, but futile. Time to end this. ---- A little earlier, back in the town, a Marine ship has just made port, a Marine ship sporting a Jolly Roger. Sid: Are you sure this is the island. Ayane: Yes, for the thousandth time, I am sure. I am a navigator, and the only navigator you have. So you better start trusting my directions. Just then a young girl, with long blue hair and little cat ear clips on her head, came running around the corner and crashed into Sid, both of them going down to the floor. Before he could even respond, the girl would jump back to her feet and after muttering a hurried apology try to take a step before falling onto Sid in exhaustion, softly calling two names as she ran, "Maya, Stein." Sid: Hey, are you alright? Girl: Help, please. They will take me away. Sid: Don't worry' its alright now. Who wants to take you away? Girl: The bad guys, they are back. (At this point she would break into tears, her fear getting the better of her.) Sid: Hey, don't worry, I won't let them do anything to you, I promise. I'll protect you from the bad guys. She would look up at his face once and smile, before passing out. Mira: Move, let me take a look at her. Sid: Oh, yes, here. She'll be alright won't she? Ayane: (Surprised by the concern her captain was showing for a little girl he had just met, moves to help Mira.) You're a weird one, aren't you? Sid: (Absentmindedly nodding.) Mhm. Jon: (Coming up running with a young boy by his side.) Hey, I think I found her. This kid says he say her following this Maya girl, most probably they were headed for that Maya girl's house. Its out of town, near the bay to the north. Sid: You guys take care of her, I'll go find Aisa. Before anyone could even respond, he was off, vanishing into the distance. Mira: Hey, what do we do with her? Ayane: Come on, lets take her to the ship. ---- Back at the hut, Aisa was lying on the ground, bloodied and battered, her sword lying a little away from her, Stein standing over her with a wide smile on his face. Stein: You're good, much better than I had thought. But as I said, I am one opponent you can't defeat. Just then a voice would be heard in the distance, followed immediately by the blur of a figure emerging from the forest. Sid: (Coming to a skidding stop in front of the hut.) AISA!! Oh, there you ar...Wait, what's going on here? Stein: Who the hell are you? Sid: Oh, sorry. (Bows politely as he apologizes.) Eustass D. Sid, nice to meet you. Stein: Oh, I'm Stein. Nice to meet you too. Would you like some te... Wait a minute! I meant why are you here? Sid: (Getting angry as he sees how badly beaten up Aisa is.) Who did that to her, was it you? Aisa: Wh..who're you? Get out of here now you fool. Sid: Oh, right, you don't know. I'm Eustass D. Sid, I'm your cousin. I'm here to make you join my crew. Aisa and Stein: What?? Aisa: My cousin? I don't have any cousin. Sid: Long story, it can wait for after I kick this guys ass. Stein: You, kick my ass? (Laughs hysterically.) Don't kid yourself. Looks like you are a pirate, then I'll just beat you up and collect both your bounties. Come on, show me wha.. The rest of his sentence is lost as Sid suddenly appear right next to him using his '''Shinjisoku' technique and slam his elbow into Stein's stomach. Stein would double over as his breath was knocked out, but Sid wasn't done. Before the Bounty hunter could even gather his thoughts and activate his Logia powers Sid had already coated his fist in fire and had landed powerful punch to his face, Hiken! The punch was strong enough to send Stein flying away, a tree stopping his trajectory. When he finally got up, spitting out blood, there was a look of anger and surprise on his face.'' Stein: You bastard, I'll make you pay for that. As he was speaking his body would turn into metal, the powers of his Devil Fruit finally coming into play. Sid: Logia huh? Don't think that makes any difference. Aisa: Don't get cocky just because you got a few hits in, I couldn't put a single scratch on him. Sid: I'm stronger than you, that's why I'm the captain. Aisa: I am not joining your crew, I'm no criminal. Sid: Say what you want, as far as I am concerned you're already a part of my crew. Aisa: What? Sid: Lets make a bet, I beat him you join my crew. I loose, well then I guess we both get handed over to the marines. Stein would suddenly rush forward and launch a punch at Sid, a punch that he would easily dodge. Stein: If you are done with your family reunion then we can get this over with. I don't have all day to waste on trash lie you. Sid would turn to look at Stein before once more turning towards Aisa and giving her a victory sign while smiling broadly. Sid: Here I go! The two would then move in close, exchanging blow after blow. While Stein's metal body would prevent Sid's punches from doing any damage, he would find that for some reason his own punches would seem to be doing no damage to the pirate either. Noticing the look of surprise on his face, he would grin and flex his muscles. Sid: Told you I was strong. Now let me show you my true power. Sid would coat his entire body in flame and jump back a few steps before rushing forward once more, slamming bodily into Stein, '''Kasen'. As Stein would fall back, Sid would put out the flames and instead coat his hands in Haki. Stepping up to the bounty hunter he would land a powerful punch to his stomach, making him cough out blood. More punches would follow, followed up finally finally with the finisher 100 Pound Punch. Stein would slowly revert back to his normal form, passed out from the beating he had just been given.'' Maya: (Emerging from the shadows of the hut where she had been hiding all this while and running to the falling bounty hunter.) Stein! Sid: Eh? Don't worry, he's not dead. Killing isn't my style. Walking to Aisa he would pick up her sword and helping her to her feat, sheath it for her. Sid: You can walk? Aisa: (A little shocked at the relative ease with which Stein had been defeated.) Y..yes. Thanks. Leaving her standing unsteadily on her feet, he would make his way back to Stein and the crying Maya. Sid: Hey you, move. Maya: (Immediately putting herself in front of Stein, shielding him from him.) No, I won't let you do anything to him. Sid: I want to help him you fool. I think I punctured one of his lungs, left like this he actually might die. I know a good doctor, she'll patch him up in no time. Aisa and Maya would both be stunned at what he had just said and Maya didn't make any attempts to stop him as he hoisted Stein over a shoulder. Maya: But why? He's your enemy, right? Sid: (Thinking for a second.) He's a bounty hunter, I am a pirate. I'm the criminal here, he was just doing his job. Besides, anyone who has a girl like you crying over him and willing to throw herself in front of him to save him can't be all that bad a guy. Aisa: (Opening her mouth to speak, but just staring at Sid, not believing what she was hearing. This is not what she had expected from a pirate.) Sid: Go help her, she might pass out any moment now. Maya: Ye..yes! Thank you! Smiling widely Sid would simply turn around and begins walking towards the town. Category:Sail On! Category:Stories